A Contemporary Review of K-16 Astronomy Education Research

Astronomy education research (AER) uses the systematic techniques honed in science education and physics education research to understand what and how students learn about astronomy, and determine how instructors can create more productive learning environments for their students. A recent review of the literature in this area revealed a number of articles that could be classified into four major categories: research into student understanding, research on instructional methods, research on teacher understanding, and descriptions of curriculum materials.